SonyMDR-CD900ST Studio Monitor Stereo Headphones (Japan Import)

I've had these headphones for 2 years now and they are phenomenal in terms of studio monitoring, flat sound, vocal mixing and midrange sounds. I've waited this long to 'review' this headphone mainly for durability purposes to see if it'll hold up. I record and make music casually/as a hobby/for music youtube channel. I've seen people in the comments seem to be using this headphones for casual listening. They're not meant for that. A lot of people who are used to “mainstream” headphones like Bose, Sony WH-1000XM series, or even AirPods Max often feel underwhelmed by the CD900ST at first. This is the gold standard in Japan and why a lot of studios in Japan (and other parts of Asia and the world) uses these headphones:First is its neutral, flat sound signature. These are not meant to sound good in the usual sense like Bose or Airpods Max or Senheisser, they’re meant to be accurate. They don’t hype up the bass or gloss over harshness. If something sounds bad, it WILL sound bad. That’s exactly what recording engineers want who designed this headphone an unfiltered version of the track, so don't go tweaking stuff with the EQ.Second is the tried-and-trrue industry standard (in Japan ofc). Since the late ‘80s, this headphone has been the gold standard in Japanese recording studios. NHK (Japan’s national broadcaster) basically made them standard across the board too. You’ll find them in places like Avex, Sony Music Studios Tokyo, etc. It’s more of a cultural and professional legacy choice now tbh, but if you watch The First Take on Youtube or other Japanese Music Youtubers who does song covers, a lot of them uses this.Third is durability and serviceability and why I truly waited to write this review. This thing is built like a tank, no cap. And because they’re so widely used in japan, parts are easy to find in Japan--at least for me because I go to Japan every year. Anyway, I've only replaced the earpads so far, but the drivers and even cable is easily swappable and repairable.Last but not least is this is designed for studio monitoring, not casual listenin--they’re tuned for midrange clarity and vocal precision (which is great if you sing a lot like I do). It's especially helpful for mixing vocals (lead, backing, harmonies etc.) or tracking them. But that can come across as thin or boring compared to mainstream consumer headphones that a lot of the people are used to.

I purchased these because of how fond I've been of my MDR-7506 cans- I had done a bit of research that basically indicated to me that these were a tinge more warm and colorful than the MDR-7506's extremely clean and neutral presentation- this is true! These were introduced to market in 1988 and are visually adorned with marketing that says they're "For digital"- my speculation is that these headphones are tuned a little warm to compensate for the shock many listeners would have had going from the warmth and subtle ambiance in analog music to the comparatively sharp and fuzz-less digital sound on the newfangled CDs of the time. If that was the intent, I would say it was a success! These add a layer of color and a light warm roundness to digital music, without making big sacrifices in terms of accuracy and technicality. Compared with the MDR-7506, I would say they have a slightly narrower soundstage and are minimally less technical, but with the tradeoff benefit of that endearing extra warmth and character. I would use the MDR-7506 if accuracy was top priority, but these have less capacity to become fatiguing for long listening sessions and breathe a different sort of life into digital music.On the physical end of things, they're thankfully built Sony studio-tough. Worth noting, these came with a 1/4 in jack and no 3.5 adapter, so if you're planning on interfacing with more modern consumer electronics, you'll likely want to grab an adapter separately. Clamping force is not excessive but perhaps a bit more than on the MDR-7506 (can't say this definitively as my 7506 cans have had a nice headstart breaking in). The MDR-7506 has a longer cable but is more managable due to it being coiled- I've found I need to shorten the cable on these using an easy rubber band solution. Earpads are a refurbishment you should plan on making at some point, as the crumpled pleather is notorious for turning nasty and flaking out over time. All in all, these are great! The MDR line from around this time earned their reputation as spectacular all-time monitors- the biggest compliment I can pay these is that every time I listen to them, I can't believe how great they sound for how old they are, technologically.